*Finn's Age: 21*

Finn's P.O.V

It's my birthday today, but I'm not in any mood to celebrate. Not after what happened between me and Marceline. It hurts deeply to think about her, that we were going very smoothly with both of us the happiest we could ever possibly be until it all went downhill. Now we're no longer together and it pains me as much as it does because I loved her with all my heart and thought we'd be together for a long, long time. But I guess it wasn't meant to be. It doesn't make me feel any better admitting it, but it's the truth, I suppose.

I stand outside the front door of a manor, the large house being located on the top of a mountain with a zig-zag path required to reach it. There are lights in the windows and people talking inside, but unbeknownst to them, I'm already aware of what this is that I've been invited to. It's meant to be a surprise party for me set up by Jake, Bubblegum, and Flame Princess with all my friends here looking to surprise me. And by all accounts, I'm late, seeing as it's dark out. An hour late to be specific, but I didn't know if I even wanted to come or not. I'm half expecting to see her here, but on the off-chance I actually do, I'll probably just leave anyway. For now, I'm going to try and forget about the break-up and see if I can have some fun on a day meant to have fun on.

Sighing and shaking my head, I knock on the door loud enough so that everyone can hear it. The chatter inside dies down and a couple shadows approach the door, one them ultimately opening it. It's Princess Bubblegum and she's surprised to see that it's me, even though she probably should've been expecting it given the situation. But in order to not give away the plan, she greets me kindly and asks me to wait here for a second as she closes the door again and most likely gets everyone to be quiet, even though it's past the point of working since I already noticed that there were people there. Nevertheless, the conversations halt and Bubblegum comes to the door again, ushering me inside as everyone says "Surprise!". Just so that they don't feel bad, I act surprised and delighted, thanking everyone for doing this for me. Conversations then resume as PB guides me over to where Flame Princess and Jake are standing, which is by a staircase leading to the manor's second floor.

"Happy Birthday, Finn" Phoebe says warmly.

"Thanks, FP" I reply, trying to be nice, "How goes things with the Fire Kingdom?"

"Eh, the usual. Someone wants this, someone else wants that, it's all the same really" She sighs, unenthusiastically, "It's why I've been taking small vacations every couple of weeks to just de-stress. But enough about me. How are you doing, Finn?"

"Oh, me? Nothing special. Just living life how I've always done it" I shrug, it really feeling like that to me.

"Are you sure? Because I heard a rumor that-" Flame Princess begins to say before Jake interrupts her.

"FP" My bro warns, shaking his head in a discouraging manner.

"-That you and Marceline broke up" Princess Bubblegum finishes, causing me to sigh in frustration and Jake to facepalm at the lack of tact.

"...You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" I snap, Jake looking at both princess with a disappointed expression.

Any semblance of happiness, real or faked, drops from my face, my arms crossing as I lean back against the wall. My brother shoos PB and FP away, the two royals sighing in shame before walking off to go chat with the other guests at the party. Once they're gone, Jake comes up to me.

"Sorry about them, bro. They really don't know when to keep things to themselves" He sighs.

"Yeah, they really don't" I remark, looking at where they're standing now before looking back to Jake.

"I know it's your p-biz, Finn, but would you perhaps like to talk about it at all?" Jake asks.

I begin to tell him 'no', but I stop myself and think. Jake hasn't completely steered me wrong yet, so maybe it wouldn't hurt to vent a little bit. Maybe that would make this night less painful than it already is.

"Sure. But let's go somewhere more private so that we won't be overheard" I answer him, glancing around at the people nearby, "I don't want anything I could say to be passed around like tomorrow's gossip."

"You betcha, man" Jake nods, the two of us heading up the steps we're next to and onto the second floor.

I will say that the location is pretty nice. The manor is plenty big, but has this nice kind of fancy but old type of feel to it. Chandeliers, mahogany furniture, nice carpets, and some paintings on the walls here and there. Jake and I head away from the party and come to this set of double doors leading out onto a balcony, which I deem as the perfect spot and head out onto. The dark and quiet exterior is a stark contrast between the bright and loud interior, but it's a welcome one. I lean on the railing as Jake hops up and sits on the railing next to me.

"It just...came out of nowhere, Jake" I sigh, thinking back to the day our fight happened, "Sure, we had been spending less time together, but I was doing my duty to Ooo. What happened was that I came home late, since we had started living together almost as soon as we got together, and Marceline was waiting for me in the kitchen. I don't know what was going through her head, but she was mad. She complained that we weren't spending enough time with each other compared to how we were a couple years ago and that she felt like the spark of our relationship was fading. I told her that she knew about my responsibilities when we started dating, so getting upset about me fulfilling them was just unfair. Marcy wouldn't budge on her stance, though, and it got to the point where I didn't want to escalate into us shouting with each other, so I said we should break up. She wasn't expecting me to say that and judging by her shocked and saddened facial expression at the time, she didn't want that to happen. But she refused to listen to me and be reasonable, and I didn't want to make this an on-going thing. So, I went to go collect my stuff, Marceline pulling on me and asking me that "I didn't really mean that, did I?". But she had to accept it by the time I had all my stuff and was at her door. I told her that it was fun and that I wish it could've lasted longer, but that I had to go. I left and went back to the treehouse, not looking back or going to see her since. That was nearly a month ago and I still haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

"...........................................................Dang, Finn. I'm sorry to hear that, bro" Jake sighs and shakes his head, "I do think you made the right choice, though. If she can't understand what you have to go through and is willing to support you, then she isn't the one. I know you really loved her, but these things just happen in some relationships and it goes to show how some people really are."

"What do you think I should do now, Jake?" I ask, looking in his direction, "Because I feel stuck in an endless cycle of festering on the past when I know I should be looking towards the future."

"Well, since it's been nearly a month, you might be reaching the point where you're ready to start trying to date again, assuming that you're still interested in doing that, that is" My brother articulates, "But only try it again when you know you've moved on from Marceline, since it'll be messy if you don't. And just try dating around and see what you come up with. Playing the field and dating around can get you an idea of the kind of girl you like. It's how I came to find out I liked Lady. Before her, I was stuck dating a couple different girls throughout my early years while I was trying to find out what type of girl was, well, my type. But all this is only a thought. Do what you feel is right, not just because I say to."

"That's good advice" I nod, "Thanks, Jake."

He nods and then hops down from the railing, walking back inside to give me some time to myself. I bite my lip and stir on what he said, reaching into my pack to grab something. I don't quite know what I'm hoping to find in there, but I end bringing out the pickle container Jake and I got from Prismo. I frown as I hold it in my hands, wondering why I chose this out of everything. But then someone comes outside and I turn around to face them, holding the pickle jar behind my back.

"Hi, Finn" Frozen Yogurt Princess waves at me, "Sorry to disturb you, but the cake has been brought out and the guests would like you to come make your birthday wish."

Wish. The word triggers something in my mind. A wish is something that might not have any merit or magical power here, but I know where it does somewhere else. And with the thoughts of the past few weeks in mind, I begin to form a plan.

"Ok, sure, I'll be right down" I reply.

Frozen Yogurt Princess nods and leaves as I put the pickle jar back in my pack, though I know I'll be bringing it back out soon enough. I leave the balcony and head back inside, going down the hallway Jake and I walked down until I'm back at the main entryway. I go down the stairs there and look to my left to see the dining room, which I cautiously walk towards and enter. It consists of multiple tables and a stage on the far left, at least from where I'm standing, with all the guests sitting at the tables. Everybody claps when I walk along the side of the room and go up onto the stage. Lots of people look at me, watching with anxious anticipation at what I'll say. And I'm sure I'll give them a surprise like they hoped to give me.

"Birthdays are a time of remembrance. A time to think about how far you've come since the year prior and see how much older you've gotten. You hope to make lots of happy new memories with the people close to you going forward. I remember quite a lot from this past year. But that's exactly why I'm not happy" I say, starting off positive before adding in the twist at that last sentence.

The gathered audience turns to each other with frowns on their faces, whispering about what I just said. But not many notice that as I continue, I reach behind me into my pack and pull out the pickle jar again, holding it in my hands in front of myself.

"Because as much as I want to say that there are plenty of things that I wish to remember, there are more things that I wish to forget" I say, the audience looking back to me as I see Jake, PB, and FP watching me and the pickle jar out of the corner of my eye, "And as much as I wish I could tell you what my birthday wish is, I'm afraid that it's best left to your own interpretation."

I then mumble the incantation to activate the travel spell, it quickly working and teleporting me to Prismo's Time Room. The pink shadow is playing with a yo-yo until he notices me standing here and quickly puts it away.

"Well, hello there, Finn" Prismo greets me, "It's certainly been a while since I last saw you."

"How are you doing, Prismo?" I ask, unable to smile at him.

"Not too bad, not too bad" The pink shadow shrugs, "Your old buddy the Cosmic Owl showed up the other day and we played cards. Spoiler alert, I lost. Though what can you expect when going up against someone who can project prophetic dreams onto people?"

"Yeah, what can you expect?" I reply, not really trying to add to the small talk going on here.

"...You seem troubled, Finn" Prismo frowns, moving along the wall until he's right beside me on my right, "Is something wrong?"

"Let me ask you something, Prismo. Have you ever had someone in your life that you cared for more than anyone else and you felt like you were the happiest you had ever been when you were with them?" I ask him.

"Sorry to say, but no" He shakes his head.

"Well, I used to feel that way until me and my girlfriend broke up. The things she said and how she said them made much of our fun times and happy memories into painful ones. And I don't want to remember those things. I don't even want to remember her at all" I explain, Prismo's eyebrows raising, "That's why I'm here. I was hoping you could help me out and grant me a wish that would help me forget her."

"Finn...you know the rules just as much as I do" Prismo sighs, shaking his head, "I can't be giving certain people more wishes than others. It would be unfair to everyone else and I don't like being unfair." 

"C'mon, Prismo. Please?" I politely beg, "It is my birthday today and birthdays typically mean one can make a wish, right?"

"Hmmm......." Prismo ponders, "Well.............I suppose you're right. I can't seem to find any flaw in that logic. Besides, since I know pretty much everything there is to know about wishes, it would be wrong of me to deny such a thing. But are you sure this is what you want? Because there aren't any do-overs."

"Yes, I'm sure" I nod, wanting to be rid of the painful memories.

"Ok, then" The pink shadow shrugs, snapping his fingers, "Your wish is granted."

I close my eyes and feel my surroundings change all around me, my eyes re-opening a second later to reveal a beautiful day in Ooo. Clear blue sky, Sun is up, and green grass all around me. I can see the bright and colorful Candy Kingdom off in the distance, as vibrant and lively as ever. Jake is napping beside me, but he soon wakes up right as I notice him.

"Say, bro, you want to go on an adventure?" He offers, standing up, "I just had the most wonderful dream of us finding some loot and hot babes alongside it and I'm anxious to see if we can make it happen!"

"Yeah, that sounds rad, man!" I smile, "Though..I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something. Or someone."

"Is it PB? Did her recent experiment cause you memory loss?" Jake asks.

"No, it's...." I trail off, trying to think hard about someone that's in the back of my mind but ultimately coming up blank, ".....I can't recall it. Probably doesn't mean anything."

"If you say so, bro" My brother shrugs, "But do you know what time it is?"

"Yup" I grin, putting my fist next to his as we say the next bit in unison, "Adventure Time!"

Marceline's P.O.V

I feel like this is a bad idea, that he'll be very unhappy that I show up at his surprise birthday party after everything we just went through. No. No, no, no, no, I need to do this. I need to get him alone and apologize to him for how I acted, since it's all my fault that we aren't dating anymore, even though I told him it was his fault. I shake my head, wondering how I could've said something so stupid as I float up the rock path that zig-zags up this mountain towards the mystery manor at the top.

When I reach the large house, I knock on the door, but nobody comes to answer it. I knock again, waiting a little bit, and then knock a third time before coming to the conclusion that I'll just apply some raw pressure to get the door open. Using my vampire strength, I give the wood a nice, sudden shove, the lock clicking open and the door being loose enough for me push inwards on it. I float in and shut it behind me, hearing a bunch of noise off to my right and floating in this sort of theater room to see it in disarray. People are up and about, talking loudly and with lots of confusion. Something must've happened here to cause them to act this way. I can't see Finn, which is worrisome, but I do spot Bonnie, Flamey, and Jake, so I float over to them to see if they can tell me what's happening.

"Hey, guys. What happened here?" I ask, gesturing all around us.

"I don't remember sending you an invitation" Bonnibel says to me with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, you didn't, but I still came anyway" I reply with sass, "So, where's Finn?" 

"My bro vanished into thin air, which is why everyone around here is so rowdy. And I technically know where he went, but I'm not going to tell you" Jake answers, giving me an angry look as I raise my eyebrows at him, "Finn told me about what you said to him that night you two split and I'm glad that he broke it off since your behavior was completely uncalled for."

I sigh and facepalm, Bonnie and Flamey looking at me quizzically. I should've guessed that Finn would've told Jake, but I can't blame him for it anyway.

"Jake, I came tonight so that I could apologize to Finn. I know it won't redeem me in his eyes, but I realized that I shouldn't have acted the way I did and wanted to tell him that it was my fault that we broke up" I confess, Jake eyeing me skeptically, "If you know where Finn is, can you please tell him for me?"

"No, I won't" The dog shakes his head, my anger rising, "Because you're going to come with me and tell him yourself. I'm not going to be no middle man here."

"Ok, that works" I nod, the dog gesturing for me to come forward.

I float next to him and he grabs my arm, mumbling some sort of incantation as he holds a jar of pickles. It's the weirdest thing, but we're soon teleported away from the party and into a tall, cube-shaped room that's completely yellow. The weirdest bit, though, is that a pink shadow of a tall man is against the wall ahead of us and he not only looks at us, but also speaks to us as well.

"Oh, hey, Jake. Fancy seeing you here" The pink shadow addresses Jake before looking at me, "But I don't believe we've met before."

"Marceline, this is Prismo. Wish granter and all around great dude" Jake introduces us, Prismo smiling at the description, "Prismo, this is Marceline the Vampire Queen."

"Pleasure meeting you" Prismo says to me, though I can only nod halfheartedly in response.

"Have you seen Finn, Prismo? Because we found a jar of pickles at the party that I know we got from you" The dog asks.

"I have actually, yeah" The two-dimensional being nods, making Jake and I sigh in relief, "You just missed him. He was here a moment ago until I granted him his wish."

"But Finn already used a wish up before" Jake frowns in confusion, "And you specifically state that we only get one wish."

"Yeah, true, but Finn invoked the use of the 'birthday wish', which is something I admittedly forgot that I allowed" Prismo shrugs.

"Hmm, so we know why he came here, but not what he specifically hoped to achieve" Jake mumbles to me and himself before turning back to Prismo, "What did my bro wish for?"

The pink shadow goes to say something, but then decides it's better to show us, snapping his fingers and making a playback recording appear on the wall next to him. It shows him and Finn talking and I can't help but hurt inside when hearing how sad Finn sounds and knowing that I did that to him. It starts right as Prismo is asking Finn if he's ok, but when my ex-boyfriend goes on to say the reason why he's here and what he wants the shadow's help with, it feels like I got shot in the chest with an arrow. I'm unable to move as I replay Finn's words in my head, even though by now the recording is over. Jake looks sad as well, but I know he's not nearly as sad as I currently am.

"And I'm guessing you're the Marceline he was referring to, huh?" Prismo asks me, his shadow moving across the wall until it's up next to me.

Not so much in response to him, but still out of sadness and anger, I punch the wall and create a sizable impact in it. Prismo calmly backs away and goes back to the center of the room.

"Woah, woah, take it easy" The two-dimensional being replies soothingly, "I didn't mean it to upset you. I was only wondering since it seemed oddly coincidental otherwise."

I don't answer him, my fist staying put against the wall as tears stream down my cheeks. I hurt Finn so badly that he used his birthday wish to forget about me?! My heart shatters into multiple pieces and I'm barely able to hold myself back from full on sobbing right here in this very moment. Instead, I remove my fist from the wall and fall to my knees, just staring at the ground as Jake continues to speak with Prismo.

"She's just upset about the situation, not you, Prismo" Jake reassures the pink shadow, "But is there any way that I can get Finn out of there?"

"Maybe, but why would you try something like that?" Prismo asks, "This is what he wanted after all and it's wrong to take something away from someone that they want."

"Because my bro only wished for it due to the fact that he couldn't handle the grief and guilt that came with the break-up. Finn only wanted to run and hide away from the ugly truth, but he needs to face it head on with Marceline so that it doesn't torment him for the rest of his life" Jake explains, "That's why I want to get him out. So, can I make a wish?"

"No, you can't" Prismo shakes his head, "Like you yourself said, I only allow one wish per person. And since it isn't your birthday, I can't invoke the birthday wish privilege. I'm sorry, Jake."

Jake sighs in defeat and there's a moment of silence until the pink shadow speaks again.

"But she can" Prismo adds, causing me to raise my head up at his words, "She is brand new to this place, after all, so she can have a wish granted to her. And while it would be up to her to use it however she pleases, Marceline could take advantage of the situation and have her wish be to bring Finn back. But again, that's up to her."

"Yeah, yeah I do want that" I speak up, wiping the tears from my eyes and standing up, "Can you do that for me?"

"Well, you'll need to say it yourself that you wish to bring him back. But before you say it, I need to warn you of what you're getting into by wishing that" The pink shadow says, to which I nod for him to continue, "Basically, you'll be sent into a reality that was specifically designed to not have you in it. And once you enter it, it'll begin to deteriorate and break apart since you aren't meant to be there. In order to bring Finn back with you, you'll need to find him and get him to willingly agree to come back with you, since it's his reality and it's tailored based off of his desires. And since it's his reality, if you don't get him to come back with you in time, the reality will shatter and you will be sent back here, but Finn will shatter with it."

I have to pause upon hearing that, a great fear welling inside me. That puts a lot of pressure on me, since I'll have to find Finn, with the possibility of him being literally anywhere, and get him to talk to me about the break-up, which will no doubt be the hardest part of all. But I need to talk to him and get him to be open with me about his feelings, so here goes nothing.

"I'll do it" I nod, taking a deep breath, "I wish to bring Finn back from his wish."

"Ok, then, your wish is granted" Prismo nods.

"Good luck, Marcy" Jake says, smiling sympathetically at me before I disappear.

The place I soon myself in is....Ooo. But it's daytime with a bright Sun and clear blue skies with the Grasslands surrounding me. I wasn't quite sure what I expected to find in this alternate reality Prismo cooked up for Finn, but I need to now focus on finding him. I head for the treehouse first, looking around inside on every level and not finding any sign of him. I then head to the Candy Kingdom and search for him there next, sticking with the places he's most likely known to visit on a regular basis. I fly through every corridor and hallway of Bonnie's castle, not finding him anywhere. 

My next thought is to ask Bonnie, but that proves to be a bad idea since I go up to her lab and tap her on the shoulder, but she regards me as an intruder and orders her Banana Guards after me. I quickly leave through the window, but the reality then ripples, the entire area temporarily glitching and looking black and white before returning to normal. The ripple also causes me to fall for a second before my flight kicks back in. I lightly smack myself on the head at the stupid decision, since I just now probably kick-started this reality's destruction. Now I need to move faster and start checking the second most likely places, so I fly off.

I check the Fire Kingdom and he isn't there. I check the Breakfast Kingdom and he isn't there. I even check the Ice Kingdom and he isn't there. I'm pulling on my hair at how stressed I am, especially because the ripples have increased in frequency. I float in circles, wracking my brain to think where in the Nightosphere he could be. I then open a portal and go check the Nightosphere but Finn isn't there either, which pisses me off. Sighing, I head back into Fake Ooo and just head towards where my house is, knowing that he won't be there, but just wanting to sulk at my lack of success. After all why would he be there? That's the last place he'd ever want be, even though it was his home too. I catch myself from going to cry again and float towards the cave entrance, but pause when I hear his voice inside. I peek around the corner and gasp in surprise when I find my ex-boyfriend and this reality's Jake standing in front of my house. I hover out from behind cover and go just far enough into the cave where I won't spook them if they look behind themselves, listening to what they're saying.

"Who do you think lives here, man?" Finn asks, sounding like he's been totally sucked into this fabricated world.

"Dunno, dude. But, hey, maybe they'll come home soon and we can say hello. There's always room for new friends, am I right?" The dog suggests enthusiastically.

"Totally!" Finn exclaims with excitement.

But then they turn around to leave and pause in shock when they see me standing there. Jake is a bit shocked, but then asks who I am. Finn, however, looks at me with confusion for a moment before a deep frown forms on his face, his memories of us breaking him out of the reality's hold.

"Marceline" He says unhappily, my name causing another ripple to cascade through the cave, all of us going to the ground in pain before we're able to get to our feet again.

"How did you...oh, you must've found Prismo, didn't you?" Finn realizes, sighing and crossing his arms, "I should have known."

"Finn....I came to apologize for what I said to you" I tell him, Finn not interrupting me and merely staring at me, "It was stupid of me to get say something so needlessly harsh to you for no reason. I'm sorry."

"But it was for a reason, wasn't it?" Finn asks, another ripple going through the cave as Jake spasms and disappears completely, "You thought that I wasn't devoting enough of my time to you. Did you think I was neglecting you? That I was being a bad boyfriend? What was it?"

".....I missed you" I admit, biting my lip in shame, "I loved having you around and I was feeling more and more lonely when our time in bed together and time having fun after dinner was getting cut short. I thought that you could always say no to some things and let other heroes handle the troubles, but I forgot that there weren't any other heroes."

"I guess that is an honest mistake" Finn admits.

"Then why did you call off our three year long relationship just because of a mistake?!" I exasperate, not able to hold myself back, "I still love you, Finn! And I don't think it's fair that we lost something that special just because of one mistake!"

The reality is now starting to tear open, fissures in the wall, floor, and ceiling opening up.

"Because if you did it once, how could I not think you would do it again on any other little thing that bothered you about me! How could I not think that if it went on long enough, you'd be accusing me of cheating on you or sleeping with another princess behind your back?! Would you have hit me, hurt me fatally, or destroyed the house out of rage?!" Finn replies back, getting emotional as the cave begins to shake, "You've always been the stronger one, Marceline, and there hasn't been a time when I've been scared of you when you get mad." 

I can feel my heart breaking again as the world around us slowly destroys itself. Finn thinks that I would hit him or break something just out of anger? Finn is scared of me!? My hands tremble as I feel tears coming back down my face again.

"I loved you so, so much, Marceline. And it made breaking up with you even more painful for me. But the truth of the matter is that you knew what my responsibilities as the Hero of Ooo were when we started the relationship!" Finn continues, bits of reality falling down around us, "And as much as it hurts to admit, responsibility demands sacrifice!"

Those were Bubblegum's words. And now hearing them come from Finn hits me even harder than when they came from her.

"But, you know, maybe not telling you all this was my mistake" He says, his tone more collected and sorrowful, "Maybe I'm just as much to blame as you are in this situation. And now thanks to me, our time together is over."

"It doesn't have to be!" I insist, more and more fissures opening around us, "I haven't stopped loving you, Finn! Have you stopped loving me?"

".....No, I still do love you too, Marceline" The human admits, looking directly into my eyes.

"Then let's not let it be ruined and just resume what we had!" I say, floating up to him as things continue to worsen, "Finn, we all make mistakes. But the key to growth is to learn from them and going forward. We just need to talk to each other about these things and be comfortable to share things that the other might not want to hear. Communication is what keeps a relationship strong and we mustn't let one small mistake drive a wedge between us forever."

"Ok, then. I'll take you back!" He says, the sound of the alternate reality breaking apart getting louder and louder.

"I'll take you back too!" I nearly shout back, "But I need you to agree to come back with me, otherwise we'll both die here very, very soon!"

"Ok! I agree to go back with you!" Finn shouts.

Our surroundings then become blinding white light, everything going quiet until the environment morphs back into Prismo's Time Room. Both of us sigh heavily and look around, seeing Jake and Prismo looking at the two of us, Jake with a 'glad you're both ok' smile, while Prismo smirks at us. The pink shadow then snaps his fingers and our surroundings change once again. Jake being with us this time, we're now on an outside balcony that is apparently back at the manor where the birthday party was being held at. Finn and I let go of each other, but Jake can see in our eyes what transpired between us and goes on ahead. Finn then grabs my hand and makes me look up at him.

"There's probably still some cake left. You want some?" He asks.

"Sure" I smile, floating beside him and kissing his cheek as we walk inside, glad to have my boyfriend back.